River oil-spill danger 'is over'

The danger of more oil leaking from Exxon Mobil Corp's ruptured pipeline in Montana has ended, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) said.

The Silvertip pipeline burst on 1 July, spilling an estimated 42,000 gallons of oil into the Yellowstone River.

Exxon has drained the two segments of pipeline on either side of the break. The oil-water mixture was removed to the company's refinery for storage.

"With the removal, the threat of secondary releases has been eliminated," said Steve Merritt, the EPA's on-scene co-ordinator. There are 700 people involved in cleaning the Yellowstone and its banks.